The Crimson Path
by WriteHere2FeelJoy
Summary: "Die with fear in your heart, or win with blood on your hands." One-shot of Aatrox and young Vladimir's encounter, a gift to a friend.


He could still hear their screams.

The boy ran and ran, through the dark forest, with no idea of which direction he was heading and what lay beyond. All he knew was that he _needed_ to run, to escape; He had done a horrible thing, committed a crime. But the worst of all was…

He enjoyed it.

He ran and ran. The moon was hanging over the night sky, mocking his cowardice by lighting the path before him, as if to say, _I know what you've done. There is no point in running._

He would shut off the light if he could, but for now he only ducked it and sought refuge in the shadows. The creatures in the woods did not scare him, it was Himself.

He ran and ran. Tripping at last, and fell to the earth. The soil was still damp from an earlier shower; he tasted mud and grass in his mouth before spitting it out. Breathing heavily and recovering from the sprint, he closed his eyes and lay there quietly. The screams were fading.

He opened his eyes again and saw the blood on his finger tips. Two lives. Gone. With this hand he had sliced their bodies open and embraced the intoxicating fluid that came forth.

He smiled and let the sweet memory take over the aftershock to soothe his soul. He found warmth in the crimson memory, even though his body shivered from the cold wind that cut through the rags he wore.

* * *

In the morning he woke. The first thing he heard was the sound of a stream nearby. He got up and headed towards the direction, cleaning himself when he arrived.

The water was clear and chilly. He carefully scooped some with his hands and washed his dirty face and arms. As he was doing so, someone approached him from behind.

Alerted, he turned around abruptly and pulled out the bloodied dagger in his belt. "Who are you?"

It was a man of significant height and well-fit. The atmosphere he brought was solemn and somehow… divine. The boy looked up to him in the sunlight, unable to see his face clearly.

"I am Aatrox."

The boy had never heard of this name before. He did not let go of the dagger.

"I see you've killed someone, young lad." The man continued.

"Y-yes." The absolute authority in the man's voice made the boy submit to his questioning willingly. He felt a mixture of fear and admiration overwhelming him. He did not know why.

"Did they deserve it?"

The boy hesitated. "…Yes."

He could not see, but he knew the man was smiling at him. "You don't have to fear me. What you did was just; a true warrior's cause."

The boy finally lowered the dagger and stood up slowly, avoiding eye contact on purpose. "They were my friends."

"You have a long life before you, and in that life you will learn that nothing is eternal. Wars and conflicts will be fought, victories and losses will result, but all will fade - only the cause is remembered." He pointed at the boy's heart, and the latter did not recoil.

The man's touch somehow lit a hope in the boy's heart, fueling him with vigor and ambition; at that moment he understood his purpose, his cause. Something in the back of his mind became clear.

"Do not fear what you are. This world does not tolerate those who hesitate over insignificant matters. Follow your destiny, and show no mercy to those in your way."

The boy finally returned his gaze; there was appreciation in his eyes. He felt comfort and reassurance from the man's words. The early doubts and uncertainty casted away. He wanted to follow this man, it felt as if he knew the answer to all of the boy's questions.

Before he could say anything, the man interrupted him by stepping aside and pointing towards a hidden path in the forest. "You will find a temple in the east after crossing another river. There you will learn more about your destiny."

The boy looked at the path and looked back at him, voluntarily trusting the man's every word. "Thank you, Aatrox."

"You are welcome, Vladimir. _Die with fear in your heart, or win with blood on your hands._"

The boy began walking, it was not until the tenth step that he realized he had never told the man his name. He turned back and hoped to find him around, but there was no one.

He heard the sound of wings and something taking off. Lifting his head he spotted a shadow that flew over the roof of the trees before it disappeared into the far north. Vladimir grinned and carried on. His destiny awaited.

* * *

**A/N Written for my dear friend on tumblr, Aatrox sempai =v= I thank him for inspiring this one-shot and being an awesome friend and roleplayer. I've always wanted to examine the relationship between Vladimir and Aatrox a bit more, so there you go. I hope you enjoyed the story, and thank you for reading and reviewing!**


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